
A fun-packed evening but not for us Tenors and Basses, again but hey we're having fun. Sorry Eamonn!
Last night was the start of our winter songs that the audience will be singing along to. These songs have us all singing the tune, so simple, you might think! Well, think again!
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Our range of voices is great, so Eamonn writes harmonies, not just to make the songs sound lovely and exciting but because they sit comfortably with our voice type.
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I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm is a popular song copyrighted in 1937 by its composer, Irving Berlin, and first recorded by Ray Noble on 05 January 1937.
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This is a challenge for the voice ranges, as it is low for many voices; however, we must ensure we sing it together at the right time. The audience can do their own thing, but we must be united!
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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album.
However, the song was not released as a promotional single by Williams' record label that year. Instead, they opted to promote his cover of White Christmas as the official promo single from the album.
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It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year has consistently made it onto pop singles charts worldwide in the 2010s and 2020s.
The song is a celebration and description of activities associated with the Christmas season, focusing primarily on get-togethers between friends and families. Among the activities included in the song is the telling of scary ghost stories, a Victorian Christmas tradition that has mostly fallen into disuse but survives in the seasonal popularity of numerous adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol.
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Other activities include hosting parties, spontaneous visits from friends, universal social gaiety, spending time with loved ones, sledging for children, roasting marshmallows, sharing stories about previous Christmases, and singing Christmas carols in winter weather.
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Although Andy Williams recorded multiple other versions throughout his life, the original 1963 version remains the most popular and well-known.
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This needs to be sung with gusto! ‘Year’ needs to be sung with a smile and the emphasis on ‘Yeee..r’
There may be a piano instrumental part if the pianist is to improvise, but if not, we will sing straight into the next part. All will be revealed nearer the time!
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Baby, It's Cold Outside. While the lyrics make no mention of a holiday, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song owing to its winter theme. The song was released in eight recordings in 1949—including well-known versions by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan, Dean Martin and Marilyn Maxwell—and has been covered numerous times.
In 1944, Loesser wrote Baby, It's Cold Outside to sing with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their housewarming party in New York City at the Navarro Hotel. They sang the song to remind guests it was time to leave. After the first performance, Lynn Garland wrote, "We became instant parlour room stars. We got invited to all the best parties for years based on 'Baby.' It was our ticket to caviar and truffles. Parties were built around our being the closing act."
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In 1948, after years of performing the song, Loesser sold it to MGM for the 1949 romantic comedy Neptune's Daughter. Lynn Garland was furious: "I felt it as a betrayed as if I'd caught him in bed with another woman."
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According to Esther Williams, the producers of Neptune's Daughter had planned to use a different Loesser song, (I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China, but studio censors thought it was too suggestive and replaced it with "Baby."
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The song won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The song is a call-and-response duet between two people, a host (called "Wolf" in the score, usually performed by a male singer) and a guest (called "Mouse", traditionally performed by a female).
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Every line in the song features a statement from the guest followed by a response from the host. The lyrics consist of the host convincing the guest that she should stay for a romantic evening because he fears her getting too cold outside, even though she feels she should return home to her concerned family and neighbours.
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In the film Neptune's Daughter, the song is first performed by Ricardo Montalbán and Esther Williams, then with a comic parody twist by Betty Garrett and Red Skelton: this time the man wants to leave and the woman wants him to stay.
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Since 2009, the song has also faced criticism among some listeners for the alleged implications of its lyrics, with elements such as the line, "Say, what's in this drink?" and the "wolf’s unrelenting pressure for the "mouse" to remain despite her repeated suggestions that she should go home being described as suggestive of sexual harassment or even date rape.
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However, others have noted that cultural expectations at the time of the song's writing were such that ladies were not socially permitted to spend the night with gentlemen to whom they were not married and that the woman states that she wants to stay while "What's in this drink?" was a common idiom of the period used to sidestep social expectations by blaming one's actions on the influence of alcohol.
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Susan Loesser, the daughter of songwriter Frank Loesser, attributed the controversy to the song being associated with Bill Cosby after television programs such as Saturday Night Live and South Park satirically depicted it being performed by the comedian, who had been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women.
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Eamonn has opted for the reverse version, with the Gents singing the bottom line and all the ladies singing the top line, encouraging the Gents to stay. It might be helpful to highlight your part in the music score as it can appear confusing.
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As well as the fun of Winter songs, we went through some previous ones.
Here’s what you need to remember:
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Gabriel’s Message
It should have a rich and soloistic sound
Tenors and Basses, be gentle with your ‘Glo – rias’
The dynamic pattern is the same with a louder verse and coming down to a quiet ‘Glora’
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A New Year Carol
This song is never loud.
Verse 1 – All Sops
Verse 2 – Tenors and Basses
Verse 3 – Altos and Sop 2s
Everyone sings the chorus. Make this very quiet with a smile on ‘wires’ using your whole body to support the note.
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Try To Remember
The clue is in the title for Tenors and Basses. They must try to remember they DO NOT SING THE TUNE. ‘… member when life…’ is all on the same note and then continues.
Think of your notes as your tune, learn it, and embed it in your brain.
Also, Tenors and Basses follow after Altos and Sops sing, ‘follow, follow, follow’
Your follow is like a little wood pigeon calling. Watch Eamonn, and he will direct you.
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There is a possibility that this song may only be performed if this is corrected.Â
No pressure, Tenors & Basses. You know what you need to do.
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Annie’s Song
Sop 2s and Basses, be bold and robust in your entry, ‘Let me love you..’ section.
Altos finish on their own with ‘again’.
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All My Trials
More trials for the Basses – you have your tune again.
It is deep, and you should be able to feel the resonance. If you don’t feel it, you're singing The Tune, not Your Tune.
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Time is going quickly, and the Sold Out concert will soon be upon us.Â
It is up to all of us to practise at home and be familiar with all the songs, keeping them fresh in our minds.
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We are a choir and a great team, and we are as good as the individuals in it; if we all do our part and work together, we will make a glorious, satisfying and wonderful sound.
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Be ready for anything next week!

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There is a song by Carole King called "Where You Lead, I Will Follow." Clearly, this does not apply to us Tenors and Basses. It's pretty simple when you know how. Hmmmm says a Soprano!
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Follow the instructions to purchase tickets, which will be available from 01 November.Â
All tickets are booked by email: janmharvey@icloud.com with a list of your guests’ names and money paid into the usual In Flagrante bank account, where you pay your fees with your name.
 We only have four Tuesdays left, and there is a lot of work to cover.
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Waterloo Sunset started our evening. Remember, this song is a lullaby, so make it tender and flowing.
The phrases are passed to different voice parts, so be ready for your part by singing along with the other parts in your head so you are prepared, and it doesn’t come as a surprise.
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Gabriel’s Message is a Basque Christmas folk carol about the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the archangel Gabriel, who said she would become the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Basque folk carol, based initially on Angelus ad virginem, a 13th or 14th Century Latin carol, was collected by Charles Bordes and then paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould, who had spent a winter as a boy in the Basque country. The tune is called "Gabriel's Message".Â
It is commonly performed in an arrangement by Edgar Pettman published in his 1892 book Modern Christmas Carols.
It has been recorded by Aled Jones, Charlotte Church and Dilya to name but a few.
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Our version should be full, rich and clearly annunciated to tell the story.
The Altos begin with the tune and then go into a harmony before returning to the tune.
Tenors and Basses sing together, remembering they have a long ‘ri’ on ‘Gloria’
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Sops – you are not on the tune for ‘Gloria’. It is just one note, but make sure the timing is correct as it is a long ‘Glo…….’ Before the ‘ria’
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The ‘Glorias’ should be gentle, smile as you sing it, and let the last ‘ia’ fade into the ether.
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Beware of too many ‘sssss’ on ‘Christmas morn’. Drop the ‘t’ and make it a long ‘Chriiiiii’ and short ‘smas morn’
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For the Tenors and Basses.
Try to Remember is a song about nostalgia from the musical comedy play The Fantasticks (1960). It is the first song performed in the show, encouraging the audience to imagine what the sparse set suggests. The words were written by the American lyricist Tom Jones , while Harvey Schmidt composed the music.
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The Sops start us off on this one, with the Altos joining in. Altos, please try to remember the change of notes ‘tender and callow fellow’ as they go down in steps, and it is not as written in your music score.
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Don’t look at your music. Follow, follow, follow Eamonn’s direction when singing these words.
The Sops start, then the altos and Tenors and Bases interlink. Tenors and Basses have three ‘follows’ sung by the Sops before their first ‘Follow’ and their second ‘follow’ follows the altos.
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Tenors and basses – you always follow; you do not lead! You also DO NOT sing the tune!
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A New Year Carol is a British folk song of Welsh origin traditionally sung in New Year celebrations.
It is associated with a New Year's Day custom involving sprinkling people with water newly drawn from a well. The song was set to music by Benjamin Britten in 1934.
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The song is associated with Pembrokeshire. There, it figured in a custom in which, on New Year's Day, children collect fresh water from a well and go around with a sprig from an evergreen tree, which they use to sprinkle the faces of passers-by with the water while singing the carol and begging for gifts of food or money. Elsewhere in Wales, the custom is called dwr newy, "new water", and the water was also used to lustrate rooms and doors of houses.
This is a straightforward arrangement and the Sops sing verse 1, Tenors & Basses sing verse 2, and Altos sing verse 3. As it is very high for Altos, they can sing lower.Â
Everyone joins in the chorus, smiling, keeping ‘shine’ bright.
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Here is a quick recap on the following to keep them fresh:
Annie’s Song
All the elements are there, but the flow is missing. It must be gentle and not like dragging a giant boulder along the floor!
Altos, take a deep breath at the end of your long ‘again.’
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Something Inside So Strong
We did well until we reached ‘Brothers and sisters’, and the timing fell apart!
This song lacks funk!
Sop1s are on the top line when a split is near the end.
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Time After Time
Basses, no surprise, you DO NOT sing the tune! Feel that harmony in your voice. Once you get going, you are fine.
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Basses watch Eamonn for timing in all your songs, especially the ‘Follow, follows,’ and learn to love YOUR tune, which is not THE tune!
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Look for a new version of Silent Night on Dropbox.Â
The Winter/Christmas-themed songs won’t have harmonies (I can hear the Tenors and Basses cheering!), so they should be easy to learn.
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From now on, please have all your music with you, as we will be going through everything at some point.
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Keep practising, do your homework and it will be all right on the night!



Firstly, apologies to our Zoomers. We are on it and hoping for a quick response, but not via the internet!
With only five more rehearsals left until the concert, we are stepping up the pace to ensure that we have not only learned all the songs but also perfected them.Â
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We all need to step up and ensure we check Dropbox for any new songs, as some will be dropped this week. Also, ensure you have the updated versions of any songs previously sung.
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It was unfortunate that we had internet issues again. We have asked to have this looked into to find a resolution, so apologies to the Zoomers. Hopefully, it will be working next week.
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We went through Nights in White Satin, which is very well remembered.Â
The quiet moments need more support, especially the ‘I love you, ooh, ooh’. Use the muscles in your body to help you.
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Altos and Tenors need to make the notes sound out and not text.
On the twiddly bits – keep it under control. Make it more like a dragonfly flitting by rather than a high-speed car!
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Annie’s Song – version 2024 – ensure you have the correct copy!
This is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver.
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It was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time, Annie Martell Denver. He wrote this song in July 1973 in about ten-and-a-half minutes one day on a ski lift to the top of Aspen Mountain in Aspen, Colorado. The physical exhilaration of having just skied down a very difficult run and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colours and sounds that filled all senses inspired him to think about his wife.
Annie said that the first time she heard Annie's Song, she told John it had the same melody as Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, Second Movement. He walked over to the piano, sat for an hour, and returned. The only thing remaining from Tchaikovsky was the first five notes. It was fantastic
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The Altos interlock with verses.
Enjoy the ‘Oohs’ and make them long phrases rather than separate notes.
Altos, if you are having trouble finding your starting note, it is the same note as ‘the’ that the Sops have just sung in ‘Like a storm in the desert.’
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The Ooh section should be epic and loud into ‘Come let me love you’ the second time around then, followed by the contrast of a quiet finish.
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Basses – ‘Come let me love you’ should be loud, but ‘Come love me again’ should be quiet.
Smile when you sing, ‘Come love me again.’
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Song for a Winter’s Night is a song written by Gordon Lightfoot, another song inspired by missing his wife of the time, Brita Ingegerd Olaisson, when his thoughts turned to winter.
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It was first recorded for his album The Way I Feel (1967). The song was written on a hot summer night in Cleveland while Lightfoot performed there.
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Many of us did not know Song for a Winter’s Night, and as such, Eamonn thought we learned it quickly because we didn’t already have ‘the tune’ in our heads and just sang the notes we were given.
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The rhythm is important in this song, and on pain of death, only breathe at the rest and nowhere else.
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There are little echoes of the different voices as we each sing our parts with some overlapping in the ‘If I could have you….’ section.
On page 5, Tenors can join the basses.
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Listen to this during the week and familiarise yourself with your respective parts, and we will revisit it next week.
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After stepping up the pace and learning two new songs (for most of you), we finished with Thank You for the Days.
Be very intense on ‘Although you’re gone’ with a quiet echo ‘although you’re gone’.
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Do not breathe in between ‘believe’ and ‘me’. Place the ‘me’ carefully at the end, and do not rush.
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Homework is important now so we can keep up this pace and concentrate on polishing and performing in the next few weeks.
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If you believe you can do it;
You can!
Don't stop believing.
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See you next week!
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